By The Editor
AT the desire and suggestion of the War Office there has been an alteration made in the invitation post-card which we are sending to the soldiers and sailors. The postcard, as it is printed below, has the sanction of the War Office authorities, so it may be used freely by workers among the soldiers and sailors, and by the men themselves.
During the last two months 6,000 of these cards were sent to us, and to every one we sent a Testament. If anyone has not received their Testament it is either because of an insufficient address, or because they are wounded and in hospital, or that they have fallen on the field of battle. If those who have not received their Testaments will send to me again one shall be posted at once. I am so thankful that the officers are writing for Testaments as well as the men. One day last week I had requests for Testaments from nine lieutenants and three captains. This is the card we are willing to send in packets to workers or to the men themselves: ―
AN INVITATION TO, EVERY SOLDIER AND SAILOR
This Card is sanctioned by the War Office Authorities “The Firs,” Denmark Road, Exeter, England.
DEAR FRIEND,
If you have not a Testament and want one to fit your pocket, I will give it to you: Please fill in the space below with your NAME, RANK and UNIT, and post this card. Do not mention your Brigade or Division.
Yours for Christ’s sake, HEYMAN WREFORD.
Name, Rank and Unit...
A Major write: ― “I beg to acknowledge, with many thanks, the parcel of books, etc., which will be distributed among the men today after church parade.”
A Christian soldier writes: ― “I beg to acknowledge, with many thanks, receipt of the New Testament. I am a Roman Catholic, but appreciate your generosity, and will treasure your gift and ask a blessing on your good work. ―J.S.”
From the Trenches
A soldier writes from the trenches: ― “I thank you very much for your kindness in sending me the Testament, which I was glad to receive. Sir, my friends here in the trenches have been asking me to send for some post-cards, so that they may send for a Testament themselves, so if you will be so kind as to send me out a few cards I will give them to the boys in the trenches., I hope to hear from you soon. ―J.H.W.”
From a Base Camp in France
“Dear Sir, ―Many thanks for Testament. It was much admired. I am but orderly, in a hut of over ninety men, and would be much obliged if you could send me some Testaments. Several of the men want them, especially as we have not much time for services, having to work Sundays. I have been up in the trenches, and know God’s power to keep one anywhere, and for eternity, through Jesus. —G. M.”
A Wonderful Escape
J.W., in letters from the Front, writes: ―
“A man came to me last night and showed me his Testament, which had been pierced by a bullet just before, and which broke the skin near his heart―a wonderful escape. I told him to thank God. I also told him of the escape he could have by believing the contents of the Book.”
Only One Testament in a Detachment
“Dear Sir, — Just a few lines to say I got your Testament quite safely. I was glad when I thought of the night I was in the Church of England Hut, and a comrade came to me and asked me if I had got a Testament. I said ‘No,’ and he gave me a card to Fend to you to get one. I shall treasure it through my everyday life, and in my spare moments I shall read it. When I showed it to the boys they all said they would like to have one also. I am sorry to say mine is the only Testament in our detachment. I promised the boys I would write to you for a parcel of them. —J.H.”
A Rifleman says: ―
“I had a Testament when I came out, but unfortunately it got lost in an attack we were making... I should like another.”
A Chaplain writes: ―
“The parcel of Testaments you kindly sent me a few weeks ago have now been distributed. I give out at the morning parade that I have them, and always get a large number of applications before night, especially by men about to leave for the Front. Would you kindly supply me with some more? I think it is one of the best services rendered to our brave fellows, and greatly appreciated by them.”
God’s own Living Word
A Christian worker at the Front writes: ― “When I returned from the station yesterday and saw the parcels you had sent me, I just stood in the doorway and said, ‘Praise the Lord.’ Then I prayed that God would bless you and the kind friends who enable you to carry on such a glorious work. I always feel happy when I can offer a man God’s own living Word.”
H.M.S. ―
“I have just received your beautiful Testament and leaflets, also the packet of post-cards, for which I thank you. They will come in very useful for my friends when I send to the Front, and also my mess-mates. We have mid-day prayer meetings, and also every evening, and we get quite a good number of chiefs and sailors attending them. During the recent action our ship came safely through, but we were ready to meet God.”
W.S―A.B., H.M.S. —.
He writes and says: ―
“A few days ago, while resting after my day’s toil, I happened to pick up a small book written by you: ‘How Can I be Saved’ I read it almost through, but I am sorry to say I have not seen the way in which you point out to sinners to travel towards salvation. But I have another motive in writing to you. For two years I have been on rather intimate terms with a shipmate who is an atheist. My friendship with him has helped to shatter my faith, and I am coming to think the same as he does. So I want you to point out to me how I may strengthen my belief in God, and overcome this atheist feeling. We have been through the Dogger Bank battle together. I got wounded while I was standing at his side, and he came through it unscathed. We also did three months at the Dardanelles. I received a slight shrapnel wound, and here again he escaped. I have seen him stand on our ship’s deck and mock at God. I have heard him ask God to prove His strength by striking him blind or dead. So try and endeavor to point me out a way to overcome this feeling.”
Harvest Time
A soldier writes: ―
“I am writing to ask you if you will send me a box of your tracts to distribute among the soldiers. I have heard that they have been used by God to bring many to the knowledge of salvation, and it is my earnest desire, by His grace, to help in this great work.”
Another says: ―
“Will you send me a Testament to the address above. I am going on my final leave next week, and I shall need one.”
Hundreds Without Testaments
“I am meeting hundreds of men who have never bad a Testament,” a worker writes me. “These men swarmed around me for Gospels and Testaments. It is an opportunity that we shall never have again in meeting these men with the Word of God. Can you spare me another parcel?”
Facing Death Without a Testament
Private W.M―, I.R.R.A. writes from the Front: ―
“I should esteem it a great favor if you would kindly send me a few more Testament cards and Testaments. I ask for these because the fellows make such a rush for them. I went down to a Recreation Hut and called for just one moment’s attention. I then told them that for young men who were present who had not a Testament I was there to give them one at once, or to procure one for them by means of your magnificent gift cards. By the grace of God I gave away your fifty-seven cards and the thirty-five which preceded them in less than two hours... I must not forget to thank you for the lovely Bible you sent me.... It is really astounding to find how many dear comrades are facing death without Testaments, and how they rush for one too! The need is urgent, very urgent, and it is with a sad heart that I refuse any of them.... May God bless your most gracious work for our comrades.”
A Resolution
“I write to thank you very much for the pocket Testament you have sent to me. My comrade would be very pleased if you would kindly send him one. I have now made up my mind to read a verse of the Testament every day, and to take Jesus Christ as my Friend and Master.”
An Appeal
Dear friends, we must have Testaments, and we must have them at once. The sanction given by the War Office to our post-cards will open wide a door of service with immense possibilities. The next few months we shall need tens of thousands of. Testaments. We want your help, and we want your prayers. We are receiving now nearly one thousand post-cards a week from soldiers asking for Testaments. This is in addition to our boxes which we send. Will you help us to meet this great and growing need? The letters you have read will show you the reality of the need, and the following letter will show you how God repays us for all we do for Him.
Soul Payment
“Dear Doctor, — I wish to write and thank you on behalf of myself and others in my unit for the blessing you have brought us by the literature you have from time to time sent us. Personally, one of your tracts, given to me by a comrade, was the means of calling me back again to Christ at a time when I was beginning to forget all my early teaching, and was gradually drifting into the depths of vice and sin. I can never thank you enough in words, but I would like to express my feelings, by helping you all I can to do the same for others as you have done for me. There are many men in my unit who, I feel sure, would turn as I have done, but they have not the heart to try by themselves, with practically no encouragement. It is in cases such as these that your literature is an invaluable aid, and if you can manage to send me a supply as soon as possible, it will be an enormous help to me in the work God has directed me to carry out, and which, with His heavenly guidance, I hope to bring to a successful conclusion.”
A Gift from the A.F.D.S.
From Mrs. Pridham, the Hon. Secretary of the Association for the Free Distribution of the Scriptures, I have received a gift of £10 to be expended on Testaments. This good and generous society has helped me many times before, and I can but thank God for the timely gift that has enabled me to buy a large number of Testaments for the soldiers and sailors.
A Thank offering
A father and mother make me a present of one thousand Testaments as a thank offering for the safe journey of their son to India.
Another friend sends me the money to purchase one thousand khaki Testaments.
For every gift, large and small, I thank God and take courage. Had it not been for the generous help of our many friends led by God to give, the work would have ceased long ago; but now, thanks be to God, a wider sphere is opening before us, and as God has brought us to it He will sustain us in it.
I could fill this number of the “Message,” yes, a year’s volume of the “Message,” with letters from those who need our help, and letters from those who give us help. The Day will declare it all, and God shall have all the glory.
“When are you Going to Finish?”
I delight to record passing remarks that speak to the point of our earnest desire to work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. Dr. Wreford’s coachman was posting at the General Post Office pile after pile of Testaments and parcels for the Front, Salonica, Malta, India, Egypt, etc., in answer to the soldiers’ cards sent home asking for Testaments, etc. The coachman had no idea an old clergyman was watching him, when he was startled to hear words said in a kindly tone: “Shall you soon have done? When are you going to finish?”
When I heard this I immediately added, “Not until the War, this awful War, has ended-and then, maybe, we shall have to work harder to help those who return.” Alas, for those who do not return! What shall we continue to do to point those to Christ? Oh! friends, help us to give them the Word of God whilst you have the opportunity. So many in England do not think about their souls, but still go on planning for pleasure. Two ladies met in High Street yesterday. “Which of the cinemas are you going to this evening?” “Don’t know; one, of course!” “When are you going to finish pleasure?” thought I, and think how you can help your brothers dying for their country?
Emily P. Leakey.